Ok, for many centuries people have talked about, written about, drawn pictures of Giants and dwarves, fairies and elves, flying saucers and dragons...but in the UK we have all these sightings of Kangaroos or Wallabes (sp?) and Large Wild Cats... lets not even get into crop circles... whats up with that???

Whilst I haven't heard of Kangaroo or wallaby sightings in the UK, I have heard of sightings and seen alleged photos of, large panther-like creatures roaming the plains of Dartmoor.

It is quite possible, some believe, that a panther or panther-like creature was privately imported into the UK some time in the past, escaped or was deliberately set loose, and has somehow managed to adapt to the British climate. I really don't know, although I would doubt there are more than 1-2 (if they ideed do exist).

The people who were interviewed on television and proceeded to make a crop circle in front of the cameras, striked me as being a little odd-but it was their hobby, and as long as they do not construct these patterns on private land-let them do it I say!

As for general superstition, well there is plenty in Britain, and there always has been.

We have thousands of haunted houses, fields, dungeons you name it. Most of the superstitions arise from the Medieval era, when people were unaware of the reasons for certain events (eclipses etc.)

We also have witches and pagans (same thing?) who congregate at Stonehenge (if you're not sure what that is, look it up on Yahoo or whatever) at eclipses and other times of the year-well let them have their beliefs I say. In some cases, they are merely continuing an age-old practise (for witches anyway!)

Orcourse I've heard of the cats, but I also know that there've been serveral wallabe sightings in Kent.

I think it's very probable that there are big cats roaming the moors of the west country. When (in the 70s i think) it became the law that you needed to get a licence for an 'exotic pet' (eg. panther, wolf etc) many were released into the countryside to save their owners money. They'd have been bred in England too (and ofcourse lived here), so adapting to the environment wouldn't have been an issue. Also, the moors and woodland of the 'west country' (ie. Devon, Dorset, Somerset, Cornwall) would be big enough for small numbers of big cat to live in relitive secresey (sp?). Also, wild deer, boar* and farm animals (which are known to have been killed by big cats) would also be suitable food for such animals.
I, and many others, are sure that they are out there and I hope that something is done to protect them and people before deaths start happening.

*wild boars are a fine example of how animals can adapt to our climate. Although they were hunted to extinction (in the UK) several hundred years ago, several escaped from special farms breeding them for meat. There are now wild (not ferral as they were once native to this country, and so are again) heards living in woodland countryside (can't remember what counties) and these are pretected by law. They're also extreamly dangerous, so don't try to catch one for dinner!

As the captain's already pointed out, the crop circles have been proven to be fake, but they were still very artistic.

As for Nessie, well I doubt it!

But The United Kingdom is an extreamly superstitious and misterious country (even in this day & age) and we've got loads of stories of the weird and unexplained.

Jamie.
ps. there's the remains of a monistary near me where people (I think pagans) dance naked every full moon!

Well, what's so mysterious about these animals? In Germany, we now have a raccoon population based entirely on escaped pets, a kind of turtle has appeared shockingly in many a bathing lake (they're cute when they are small, when they get too big, they're released, and when they get real big, they bite people's toes and fingers off while bathing.... hehehe), for the first time in hundreds of years wolves have returned (moving in from Eastern Europe - apparently the Iron Curtain had prevented them from doing so long ago?), in Austria the first bears in centuries have returned (some immediately managed to make themselves unpopular by being killed by cars and eating sheep)....

What's cryptic about it? The only real mysteries are Yeti, Bigfoot, Nessie, Firebird, Ogopogo and the like - of which probably none exist. I have to admit though that cryptozoology TV programs always freak me out with their stupid music and pictures of Australian wolves and Bigfoots...

About some really interesting animals (not in the UK): Apparently, there are huge squid living far beneath the water. When a whale wants to eat them, he tries to push them to the surface, where they expand (pressure change) and grow beyond 20-30 metres in size... Now those are creatures that have been proven to exist, and not just myths.

PS: Englandair: Any women among those naked dancing people? Especially any younger than 95 years and without warts?